Category Archives: Gluten-free

After a rather long hiatus, I realized how I missed cooking, baking, and posting on this little blog. I’m getting back into the swing of things by bringing you Salted Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies with a twist. They’re surprising light and fluffy, with that salted dark chocolate flavor, of course. These cookies are the result of a successful experiment; they proved their deliciousness, despite a unique texture, when I brought them to a Superbowl party and they were gone in a flash.

I’ve established that they’re tasty, but there’s something else I should tell you- they’re made with just eggs, almond butter, maple syrup, chocolate, and a little salt. A simple, healthier take on a classic.

I immediately thought I’d messed up when I saw how thin the batter was. Soon though, I realized that the batter will not look like normal cookie batter, and the cookies will not have the texture of a normal cookie. And, I’m totally ok with that because they’re awesome. As you can see, I struggled at first to get them onto the cookie sheet….. Tip #1: Give them lots of room on the cookie sheet.

I finally got a food processor last week and could not wait to use it. I found a pesto recipe in Alice Waters’ The Art of Simple Food, but it called for basil and pine nuts (two ingredients for a traditional pesto). I, of course, had neither of those, so I began exploring alternatives. I came up with a Cilantro Pesto, which sounds a bit unorthodox, but it was quite the crowd pleaser (and by crowd, I mean, my boyfriend and I, but who’s counting?).

Process: 1. Grind pecans and garlic cloves in food processor until they are fully. pulverized.2. Making sure that you’ve fully removed and discarded the stems, add cilantro leaves to food processor and grind until fully pulverized.3. Add olive oil & Parmesan cheese to the processor and grind until all ingredients are fully incorporated.4. Enjoy.

*tip: the pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also make a large batch and freeze the unused portion.

So far, I’ve put the sauce on pasta and on another occasion, atop poached eggs (the way a hollandaise works for eggs benedict). The results have always been delicious.

Despite the glorious Boston weather this weekend, I did a bit of cooking indoors and got some lovely results that I’m excited to share with you. Moroccan Chicken & Moroccan Sweet Potato Salad were just two dishes created, with some guidance from Alice Waters, in The Art of Simple Food, and Lemonade LA, in The Lemonade Cookbook. I’m on a bit of a Moroccan food kick right now (if you can’t tell). Moroccan cuisine incorporates lots of spices, meat, and fresh vegetables & fruits, and often times these components are all in one dish! It’s influenced by a number of different ethnic groups, including Arabs, Berbers, Moors, & the French, giving it a rich history and a lot of variety. Recipes, photos, & more, after the jump.

Have you ever found a dish at a restaurant that you loved so much, you had to try making it at home? I am obsessed with La Méditerranée‘s Chicken Cilicia (a phyllo pastry filled with an exotic blend of spices, chicken, raisins, & garbanzo beans). In the past, I’ve successfully replicated the dish at home, but the phyllo dough part is a bit labor/time intensive. Thinking of ways I could get that incredible Moroccan flavor without the meat or phyllo hassle, I created this veggie burger last night. And, let me tell you, it turned out far better than I expected. Recipe after the jump!

The combination of spring and Easter weekend inspired me to bake these tasty little cookies. I had to use my chick cookie-cutter, pink frosting, and rainbow sprinkles, for obvious reasons. There are lots of photos to show you exactly the process I went through to make these babies. It’s good to note that they don’t contain refined sugar (except for the sprinkles). I used agave nectar for both the cookies and the frosting. More photos and the recipe after the jump!

These were inspired by Dorie Greenspan’s Honey-Almond Fig Tart, featured in her James Beard award-winning book, “Baking From My Home To Yours”.

This recipe is gluten and refined-sugar free. And, did I mention that they are absolutely delicious? I love eating these for breakfast and/or as a snack. Slice one in half, add some almond butter, and you’re good to go!